An arrest in a rape case that was 26 years in the making.
Now the man charged in the Centre County case is challenging the police evidence through a lengthy court filing.
It was a stunning announcement last October when this man, Scott Williams, was charged in the 1995 brutal assault and rape of a Penn State Student.
State College Police say it happened in this area of South Pugh Street, that the woman barely survived.
In making an arrest 26 years later, Police say they used DNA from the crime scene that was linked to Williams through his family to make the arrest.
But now, Williams legal counsel in a pre-trial motion, is challenging critical elements of the police case and asking a judge to dismiss the case against him.
The original arrest warrant in the case issue in 2000 was a John Doe warrant.
Police had no specific subject, but they did have the DNA evidence. Williams attorneys argue that doesn’t make it a valid arrest warrant.
They also raise legal questions about how Williams DNA was obtained. Police say it was partially done through detectives getting DNA samples from one of Williams sons, and also going through trash from the Williams home.
His attorneys says police lacked search warrants to gather that evidence. Other issues raise, range from Williams rights to a speedy trial to any statements he may have made to police.
William’s attorneys also note that the amount of discovery reviewing evidence in the case is sizable and thats its still an ongoing process between them and prosecutors.
